Minister 'hoodwinking' public on garda strength

Justice Minister Michael McDowell is “hoodwinking” the public into accepting a police force that is not properly trained, a gardaí representative body warned today.

PJ Stone of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) said Mr McDowell’s plans for a 4,000-strong unpaid volunteer garda reserve force was a smokescreen to disguise the failure properly to equip and resource the garda force.